- NEW DELHI (Reuters)
- India successfully test-fired Wednesday the naval version of its Brahmos
supersonic cruise anti-ship missile, jointly developed with Russia, the
defense ministry said.
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- It was the first test since February of the missile,
which has a range of 180 miles and can carry a conventional warhead of
up to 660 pounds.
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- The missile achieved all its test objectives after it
was fired from a launchpad on India's eastern seaboard, the defense ministry
said in a statement.
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- India is developing a range of missiles as a deterrent
against nuclear-armed neighbors Pakistan and China and defense experts
say New Delhi needs to continuously test its missiles before they can be
inducted into the armed forces.
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- Brahmos, named after India's Brahmaputra river and Russia's
Moscow river, is primarily an anti-ship missile but can be used against
land targets as well.
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- The missile can be launched from land, sea and air and
is expected to be ready for production by 2004.
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